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Bridges
are positioned to replace missing teeth. Not only do they fill the unsightly
spaces left by lost teeth, but they also help support the teeth adjacent to,
and directly opposite, the missing teeth.
When a
tooth is lost, the adjacent teeth may shift position. The tooth opposite to the
lost tooth may begin to extend out of its socket. Shifted teeth are harder to
clean, making them more susceptible to cavities and permanent bone loss. The
bite may also be altered making it more difficult to chew, possibly damaging
the temporomandibular joint - the TMJ or jaw joint.
The bridge
procedure is frequently completed in two office visits. On the first visit, the
teeth on either side of the missing tooth are cleared of any decay and shaped
to accept special crowns called abutments. An impression is then taken from
which a model of the teeth will be made by the dental laboratory. Your dentist
will then place a temporary bridge.
Over the
next one to two weeks, the lab will create the permanent bridge on the models
made from your dental impression. The abutments will attach to and support a
pontic - the portion of the bridge replacing the missing tooth. At the next
visit, the temporary bridge is removed and the permanent bridge is positioned.
Once properly located, it's cemented in place. |
